Manchester United takeover: Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol answers your questions | Football News
A possible acquisition of Manchester United continues to dominate the sports news agenda.
Offers for club ownership from Qatar Sheik Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani And Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s INEOS group were confirmed on Friday, while it was announced on Saturday that the US hedge fund Elliott management also submitted a proposal for possible funding.
But is this a full takeover? Will United’s current owners, the Glazer family, sell the club outright, what could that mean for spending in the summer transfer window and when will we know the outcome?
You submitted your questions and Sky sports news chief reporter Cave Solhekol she answered. We have selected the best below…
‘Qatar the Favorites | Takeover ideally completed by summer’
Q: Who do you think is most likely to be successful with their offering?
KS: “I think at the moment the Qataris are ahead. I understand that they are confident and they have the best offer on the table, not only in terms of price but also in terms of their vision for the club and the team – and how you do it.” I would invest in the men’s and women’s teams, the stadium and local regeneration.
“It has to be said that the Qataris are favourites. They have the money to complete the deal and they are confident there will be no problems with UEFA and the Premier League.”
Q: When will a deal be finalized for the club?
KS: “I think ideally it would be suitable for all parties to ensure that this is done before the end of the season. From a United perspective, going into another transfer window without ownership being settled would not make sense given the Glazers’ They’re not going to want to spend money in the window without knowing if they’re staying or going, but it all depends on whether they really want to sell.”
Q: When will we know who the preferred bidder is?
KS: “If there are only two bidders willing to buy the club outright, it shouldn’t be too long before Raine and the Glazers grant them full access to the club’s accounts.
“Bidders haven’t heard from Raine as of Monday morning and you have to keep in mind that New York is five hours behind the UK.”
Q: Can INEOS compete with Qatari funds?
KS: “The simple answer to that question is no. The Qataris have almost unlimited funds, but the difference is that they only have unlimited funds if you consider this a state-backed takeover bid.
“We have been told that Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is acting in a personal capacity and he will not overpay United.”
“It depends on what the glaziers want | They won’t lower the price’
Q: Can US hedge fund Elliott Management give the Glazers what they want?
KS: “Elliot Management’s proposal differs from the other two bidders because they are not trying to buy the club. Instead, they are willing to provide funding for another bid or provide funds that would allow the Glazers to redevelop Old Trafford.
“So it all depends on what the Glazers want to do. Do you think now is the best time to sell the club or will selling a minority stake make more sense and add even more value to United going forward.”
Q: Are there no offers from Saudi Arabia?
KS: “As far as we know, as of this morning (Monday) there has been no offer from Saudi Arabia. However, the bidders don’t have to announce that they’ve made an offer, and Raine holds her cards to her chest very closely.
“There was initial interest from Saudi Arabia, but we have not received any information that they have done anything … yet.”
Q: Which is more likely – a full takeover or the Glazers providing some funding and maintaining control?
KS: “It all depends on what the Glazer family wants to do. They may have different opinions as to what the best outcome of this process is, but there is so much pressure from supporters now that they think it would be difficult for them to turn down £5bn for a club that expects big money in the future must be spent.”
Q: How realistic is it that the acquisition doesn’t go through and the Glazers decide to stay?
KS: “With United’s stock price doubling since the Glazers effectively put the club up for sale, you’d think now would be a good time to cash in and walk away with an incredible profit.
“Nevertheless, it is ultimately their decision and while we are told the bidders will not overpay, it remains the case that the Glazers will not sell United for less than they believe is worth.”
Q: Is there a chance the Glazers will lower the price of the racquet?
KS: “Not a chance at all. United’s market cap on the New York Stock Exchange has doubled since November, when the Glazers effectively put the club up for sale.
“The general consensus seems to be that they are looking for between £6billion and £8billion and I don’t think anyone will pay that. It all depends on whether the Glazers are willing to sell for around £5bn.”
Q: Do you think Gary Neville might be right when he says the Glazers prefer investing to selling?
KS: “Gary Neville could be right but the Glazers have appointed Raine to lead this process and they have been soliciting offers for the club.
“Two compelling offers have been made but the Glazers have to decide what they want to do. A large proportion of United fans have already fought against them before buying the club.
“The Glazers have to decide if now is the best time to sell because, make no mistake, United have a lot of money to spend on it.
“They have to decide if they want to be at the center of a rebuild that will take years.”
‘Sheik Jassim would settle debts | No sign of Elon Musk interest
Q: Will United’s debts be written off by buying the club or will they still be there when new owners take over?
KS: “The Qataris have pledged to pay off all of United’s debts. The Glazers bought United in a leveraged buyout of £790m in 2005 and the debt they have placed on the club still stands at £515m.
“Also don’t forget that the acquisition cost United more than £1billion in interest and dividends. As for the Qataris, there would be no credit, no debt, no dividends and all profits would be reinvested in the club and local community.
“As for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group, if they were to successfully buy it, there would be no debt incumbent on the club.”
Q: Would Sir Jim Ratcliffe really have the means to do all of this and buy the club outright?
KS: “Sir Jim Ratcliffe is confident he has the means to transform United on and off the pitch. Of course you’d expect him to spend less on the club than the Qataris but it’s not always necessary to put money on an issue to throw the best solution.
“It doesn’t mean the Qataris are only going to throw money at United. I think their vision for the club is more than just a quick fix.”
Q: Is Elon Musk really in the running or is this just another rumor?
KS: “Elon Musk was always a wild card in all of this. There was a report in the Daily Mail last week he said he was considering making an offer, but he’s been unusually quiet about any interest and we’ve heard nothing of him making a bid.
“He claims to be a United fan and could easily access the funds to buy the club. But he said last week that he has enough to do with Tesla, Twitter and SpaceX right now.”
“Significant funds available for remittances | Focus on young players
Q: Would a sale be likely before the summer transfer window?
KS: “That would be the ideal situation for everyone involved. Having only signed loans in January, United are likely to be busy over the summer. Ideally, Erik ten Hag needs to know who will be signing the checks.”
Q: Can United fans expect big-money signings?
KS: “I don’t think the Qataris or Sir Jim Ratcliffe would go crazy in the transfer market. There would most likely be a restructuring of recruitment and significant funding would be made available to Erik ten Hag, but I wouldn’t do it.” Expect the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar to see Paris Saint-Germain trades for Manchester United soon.
“My information is that the focus would be on youth going forward. That’s not to say United won’t sign players over a certain age, but the overall strategy would be to focus on buying the best young players.”
“United will sign a striker in the summer, no matter who owns the club. That has always been a priority.”